Geocaching - What is it and can I do it locally?

If you are like me a walk feels like a bit of a waste of time. I can walk I just don't like to go for a walk. Its boring, where am I going?, am I trying to get there in a certain time frame? So no, I don't want to go or a walk. Geocaching however, sign me up. (Phonetically Jee-Oh-Cashing).

Geocaching is a global free activity you can do, even in your local area. Its like a treasure hunt using your phone or a gps device you can look up the locations of hidden in plain sight caches. Each one is put there and recorded by members of the public, so anyone can place a cache. Across the country there are caches at local churches, war memorials and historical places of interest. 

They can even be dotted along your local dog walking area in trees, under bushes, clipped or dangled from fences, sign posts and under fallen leaves. They can be made of anything, a clip lock box, a small screw top tube, a bottle, a magnetic bolt, even a key safe. Our most unusual one was a key safe made to look like a dog poo! The title of it was A Sticky Problem. 

Some caches are multiple, so you need to find clues along the way which will lead you to a main cache at the end. Some people have made walking routes covering short walks to many miles which numerous caches to find along the way. I can walk for miles doing this as it gives a walk some purpose for me and it breaks the walk into manageable chunks. 

The app we use is called c:geo, downloadable from Google Play. It can show you a live map of caches in your local area, you can store a list of caches for the future and so you can turn your data off. The information given gives you the details of what the cache is, a clue to its more precise location, any history whether thats local history or personal history as to why the cache has been placed there. It also has an electronic log, so you can record that you have found it and upload any photos if you want to take them. You can report any issues with the cache, like you were unable to find it or it has been damaged or water logged which is a common occurrence in Britain. 

Inside a cache you will usually find a log,(no, not a tree log), a piece of paper you can sign and put back to show you have been there. You'll be surprised how many people find and sign them. Inside the bigger caches you could find a small toy, lego bricks,coins, gem stones, rocks or even a travel bug. A travel bug is meant to travel the world using caches and adventurers to do so. It is the size and style of a military dog tag and has a code on it. If you find one you are welcome to take it with you (recording that you have done so) and take it to another location. The travel bugs we have seen have literally been all over the world. 

 If you are considering going caching (first of all you should because its lovely to find things in your local area that have been hiding all this time!), I would recommend you take a few things with you. 

• A phone with the map and coordinates of your caches
• A pen to write your name and date on the log
• Small gifts you can trade within the bigger caches
• Tweezers so you can extract the log from the smallest of caches.
• Hand sanitizer and cleaning wipes as the caches are all outside and in common walking areas. They can get mucky.
• Bite and sting cream because of stinging nettles. Some caches are off the beaten track and it is easy to get stung. 
• Good shoes, water and snacks as you could end up walking further than you think.
• A good amount of time to find the cache. Some people are very good at hiding their caches. 

Enjoy this new hobby as you do get an enormous sense of achievement and connection with others from finding a small object that you never knew existed before. 

Until next time 

xx